Will never know another like him
Hamilton County Clerk Bill Knowles, who said this week he would retire in 2026 after 52 years in his post, was elected before I started my junior year in high school. During elections every four years, he’s had little opposition because he is both competent and kind, an unbeatable combination.
First as a Democrat and later as a Republican, he has modernized the office and made it one that truly serves the public.
Vince Dean, the Hamilton County Criminal Court clerk, said Knowles was the example he wanted to emulate when he became involved in politics in 1996.
“I never felt as though Bill was a politician,” he said in an email. “I just felt like he was an elected official with a servant’s heart. He was usually not the loudest voice in the room, but he was certainly the voice with wisdom beyond measure. A fine man who goes the extra mile for anyone, no matter their current circumstances or financial influence. He helped any and all.”